The latest series of Lewis came to an end with Falling Darkness, an episode written by a highly experienced screen writer, Russell Lewis. It was set at Hallowe’en, and focused on Laura Hobson (Clare Holman), the attractive pathologist whose slowly developing relationship with Lewis (Kevin Whately) has been one of the recurrent themes of the series.
The concept of encountering friends, and ghosts, from the past, is at the heart of the story. Laura is about to meet up with two friends and one-time housemates from student days when she is called to a crime scene. When she arrives, she finds that the victim is one of those friends, whose name is Ligeia. Soon another murder occurs – and the scene this time is the same student house where Laura and her friends lived twenty years ago. The second victim is a girl called Rowena.
Now, if you know your Edgar Allan Poe, you will be ahead of me here. Ligeia and Rowena are characters in one of Poe’s doom-laden stories. Reasoning this couldn’t be a coincidence, I decided there must be a Poe theme to the plot, and this neatly led me down entirely the wrong track in my attempts to figure out what on earth was going on. The red herrings that piled up included the warnings of a mysterious spiritualist, which turned out to have nothing to do with the explanation for the crimes, as far as I could tell. Shamefully, for a crime writer, I finished the episode still unclear about the motive for poor Rowena’s murder.
Throw in a mysterious disease which this time was relevant to the story (I’d never heard of it before, but according to a quick internet search, actually it affects only a small number of families worldwide) and you might think I found this was an unsatisfactory episode. It wouldn’t have worked as a novel, yet somehow – thanks mainly to a string of terrific performances by a high calibre cast – it made good Sunday evening TV viewing. I’ve enjoyed this series, and I’ll miss it. But I’m sure Lewis will be back, and I hope Laura will be, too.
Monday, 31 May 2010
Lewis - Falling Darkness: review
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18 comments:
Martin - Thanks, as always, for this review. It's interesting, isn't it, how often a plot works quite well for a television show or film, but wouldn't work as a novel. Of course, it goes the other way, too...
I enjoyed this too, but did get lost in all the meanderings, especially with the medium. It's been a good series and with lovely views of Oxford.
Good point, Margot. I wonder if there might even be an increasing divergence between the two.
Hi Books Please. I'm glad it wasn't just me!
I saw one of the Lewis programmes when I was on a brief visit back to the Ol' Country - I thought that it was good although not up to the old Morse standard. I think that it is interesting how Lewis has been developed.
Thanks indeed for sharing
Hannah
Aloha,
I’m just getting caught up with all things “Morse” as I only started watching “Endeavour.”
It takes a LONG time for British TV to make it 12 time zones away here in Hawai’i. (JUST kidding.) We may be the most isolated archipelago on Earth, but we have cable TV.
Regarding the medium (spiritualist, whatever) I felt that she had an important part in that the 4th roommate, Rowen’s love, was off shagging (Is that the correct slang term?) the medium instead of going to the Hallowe’en party with Rowena and the goth twins. Instead he went to see the medium’s show, then had some drinks with her, bedded her which resulted in not getting home until after 0200. This is where the young “mother” across the street is looking out of the window during the 0200 feeding. The next night instead of being with Rowena (and protecting her I guess...because we women MUST have a male protecting us at all times) he is bedding the medium again. Since the young “father” is watching all of this he knows that Rowena will be by herself in the sitting room.
Then he breaks down after being identified in the lineup by the “young” mother.
SPOILER ALERT! Maybe because I am an emergency room doctor here in Honolulu but did ANYONE think that they really had a real baby? I was listening to the crying and it seemed “canned” and not realistic. Just one constant unwavering shrill cry. Or perhaps I’ve seen that trope too often?
I watched Falling Darkness for the second time..we get reruns all the time here in Canada. This time I watched carefully. Couldn't understand why Rowena was killed and yes that baby crying was authentic only for a short time....would make me wonder too.
Nice to hear from you, Pearls!
Hey guys, just saw Falling Darkness (yep, waay behind the rest of the world here in Prague 😜) and still no clue how Rowena’s murder makes any sense in the context of the story. Has anyone found a good source of expert information on the show? BTW I totally fell for Lewis after having visited Oxford this summer. I just wish I had more knowledge of English literature to appreciate all the fun references. On the other hand, it might be nice for you to hear that Lewis works even for someone with very limited knowledge of English classics 🙂 greetings from Prague y’all!
Hello Petrushka
Funny how some of these English mystery detective TV shows are timeless and ageless. Regarding your question on Rowena I'm wondering if Rowena was killed on a whim...just because she was there. Kind of like, "if we can't sleep, why should you?". Since no explanation was given, it's left to the audience to figure that out. Of course this is pure conjecture on my part. Anonymous from Hawaii gave a good timeline for that part of the show.
Since you enjoy Lewis, see if you can find some of the old "Morse" shows. They feel a bit dated because of when they were filmed. John Thaw in the title role was such a good actor. It will help you understand the Lewis shows better. Lewis is always referring to his old boss Morse. "Endeavour" is also good, and has an excellent cast. Endeavour is based on Morse when he was young. Nice to know your are enjoying watching them Anon. from Hawaii.
An interesting thing to watch for in the Morse, Lewis and Endeavour shows is the quiet appearance of the writer of the Morse books "Colin Dexter". He made several cameo appearances.
Thank you Martin Edwards for having this blog. Nice to see comments from people from the around the world who have similar likes in TV shows.
I think Rowena was killed just because she lived in Laura's old house. Just to frighten her with the killer circling around.
Just watched it. I agree that the lack of explained motive for Rowena's murder is jarring. Especially frustrating given the episode is so full of red herrings. Perhaps it's due to bad editing, rather than a bad script?
Working from what we do know we can perhaps construct a motive though. We know she was killed in the middle of the night, and her body was found by the sofa downstairs where she had been sleeping (having refused to sleep with her bedroom as she was scared by what the medium said about it). We also know a new message had been left on the fridge downstairs saying to find Mary Gwilliam. And unlike the other killings (stake through heart and garlic, torture, attempted burial alive), the method of Rowena's killing doesn't seem to have any ritualistic elements (throat cut, with hand held over mouth). So the most plausible explanation is perhaps that Rowena noticed the neighour (who wouldn't have known anyone would be downstairs at that time of night) had come into the house to leave the message. The neighbour silenced and killed her to evade detection.
Love watching Lewis but find the plot confusing.Why was Rowen killed?Also find the last bit unclear.
Why was the first woman killed if they didn't know she was their mother? Why was Ellen attacked? Most of it made no sense to me
Best answer so far!
Last sentence Lewis says in season 4 episode 4, Falling Darkness", was what? The captions state "lovely cobweb", but I have no idea if that is right. Does anyone know and if so what was the meaning?
I was puzzled as to why Rowena was killed and then I figured out the possible reason. The twins, knowing that their “mother” Laura was a crime pathologist, found an opportunity to kill Rowena (cutting her throat in the manner described by Hathaway in detail pertaining to orphans etc) in the old home that Laura shared with her housemates 20 odd years previously. They knew that Laura would most likely be the pathologist who would be called to the house to examine the body. The twins were sending a message to Laura which they knew would trigger old memories.
BTW, adopted kids may not be told the name of their birth mother, but they are told the date of their birth. Seems very weird that two people who were both adoptees and shared the same date of birth wouldn't do a genetic test before getting married.
Apparently Rowena was murdered so the twins could leave a clue (the medallion used to strangle her) for Dr. Hobson?
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